polluted water - environment - quicksilver (mercury) pollution

polluted water - environment - quicksilver (mercury) pollution

Polluted water - Environment - quick-silver pollution

New Idria is a ghost town located in a remote area of the Coast Range of California (USA), outside the town of Hollister.­ It was once a center for mercury (quick silver) and asbestos mining.­ New Idria was at its peak well before the Gold Rush in California of the 1840's and 1860's.­ There are still high levels of mercury and asbestos polution in the area.­

If you don't mind ignoring all the "no trespassing" signs, you can visit an amazing mercury smelter with four large "Gould" rotary furnances.­ This smelter was abandoned in the 1970's.­ All those photos were taken in May 2004.­